Cape Coral City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn, visiting veteran Bill Champion and his wife, Dolores at Bernie Braden Park, home to Florida\u2019s tallest flagpole, an America 250 project launched by the city manager. PHOTO PROVIDED<\/p>\n
Old Glory could be flying again by Tuesday, but just before the flag had to be lowered from Florida\u2019s largest pole because of a tear last week, it lifted the spirits of an Air Force veteran thanks to a kind gesture from the Cape Coral city manager.<\/p>\n
Air Force veteran Bill Champion, a resident of Sebring, had learned about the 250-foot pole and flag from a friend who viewed it from thousands of feet in the air while flying into Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW).<\/p>\n
Champion, 83, who served from 1962-66, had to see this magnificent symbol of freedom. Recently, after babysitting grandchildren in Babcock Ranch, he and his wife, Dolores, decided to drive to Cape Coral to find the flag before they returned home. \u201cI wanted to see it. I am an American,\u201d Champion said.<\/p>\n
Trouble was they couldn\u2019t find it. They tried websites and GPS with no success. So, they drove to Cape Coral City Hall. Surely, somebody there could point them in the right direction. Sure enough, Maureen Buice, the assistant to the city manager, happened to be standing outside when the Champions walked to the front entrance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe young lady said, \u2018may I help you,\u2019?\u201d said Champion, who uses a walker after suffering a stroke. \u201cI told her who I was and what I was looking for. As we were talking, Mike (city manager Ilczyszyn) came out. Now, I am just a stranger, just some guy from Sebring, Florida, for crying out loud. Mike said, \u2018what time is it? I have got time to run you down there.\u201d So, he jumped in his car and we followed him down there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce I learned they weren\u2019t really going to be able to understand the directions (to get to the flag), it was just my natural instinct to be their tour guide and host into our community,\u201d Ilczyszyn said. \u201cIt\u2019s just who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
He told the Champions about his vision for the pole and the flag. How he was performing counter drug operations while in the Navy when he noticed a large Mexican flag about 5 to 6 miles offshore near Cancun.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as saw it, it struck me at a young age in the military, why don\u2019t we have flags like this on our coastlines where people driving in can see our symbol of freedom?\u201d Ilczyszyn remembered. \u201cI always had a vision for what to do for the 250th (anniversary of the United States) and to have a 250-foot flagpole, not knowing at the time it was be the tallest in Florida and second tallest in the country (the tallest is in Sheboygan, Wis., standing 400 feet high).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was great to know somebody that loves the country as much as he does,\u201d Champion said.<\/p>\n
The Champions talked to the city manager about the size of the flag, measuring 6,000 square feet and weighing 300 pounds. \u201cThat would cover my house,\u201d Champion said.<\/p>\n
Champion was also curious about the size of the stars and stripes on the immense flag and how deep the pole went into the ground. That sparked an idea. Ilczyszyn plans to put informational signs leading from the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral to the flag in Bernie Braden Park, explaining some of those details.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpending the day with him, and if we are going to have visitors coming here, why have them leave with unanswered questions. It\u2019s an opportunity to provide more meaningful things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Repairing the flag<\/p>\n
But the first course of business will be returning the flag to its rightful position. Less than 12 hours after his visit with the Champions, Ilczyszyn received an early-morning phone call about a problem with the flag. It was bunched in one section and not flying freely. The canvas had ripped near one of the flag\u2019s rings. <\/p>\n
Turns out the flag manufacturer had received a similar call about a similar problem with a flag in Oklahoma. The company believes it received a bad batch of material and that was the reason for the tear. The flag was returned to the manufacturer in Texas, and a new flag could be here as early as today or Monday and could be flying again by Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Champion\u2019s background<\/p>\n
Born in Lakeland, Bill Champion has lived in Florida his entire life. While in the Air Force, he took care of telephone switching equipment, spending half of his service in Bermuda. After retiring, he began a civilian career in the phone industry, starting at $1.91 an hour, before eventually retiring from United Telephone Company, which was bought out by Sprint and then CenturyLink.<\/p>\n
Then, Champion decided he could put his long, white beard to use. He became a Santa Claus and his wife, Mrs. Claus. They toured the country for about 16 years, playing Santa and Mrs. Claus at various malls. They never worked in Florida because \u201cI thought somebody might recognize me.\u201d<\/p>\n
How rewarding was it for Santa? \u201cNothing made me more happy than to have a child sit on my knee, look me straight in the eye and say, \u2018I love you Santa.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Next month, the Champions will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. Seeing that flag, getting a personal tour by the city manager certainly was an early anniversary gift.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a godsend,\u201d Champion said.<\/p>\n